By Lachlan Forsyth
For hundreds of kilometres along the winding Japanese coastline, the sight remains the same.
The coast is littered with remainders of once strong communities, but they are now communities that have been ripped open, and once private homes are left exposed to the world.
One home, typical of the thousands, tens of thousands that we passed along this coastline, would have been beautiful before the waters came and tore the front of it wide open. It's covered in sand, it’s covered in stones, there are personal effects everywhere.
Around 50,000 temporary homes have already been built - the Japanese aim to construct 100,000 by September.
Although the homes are provided free by the government, there's been no word on emergency benefits or payouts, and that's a problem.
Sasaki-san is an engineer. His wife is a nurse. Their livelihoods were lost with their home, they don't have the money to move, and their insurance won't cover what remains on their mortgage.
They've tried as best they can to make the temporary house a home, and while they're grateful to have it, he says many people would rather remain in evacuation centres where everything is provided.
In the town of Kamaishi the monstrous sea wall was meant to protect them from the waves.
It didn't.
Today Kamaishi is still in ruins, the massive blocks of its brown sea wall shunted out of the way by the force of water.
Its residents queue for clothing, food, blankets, collecting whatever items they can to begin new uncertain lives.
They are scenes repeated throughout the country.
Takeda-san’s home is small, simple, and he and his wife are happy.
They are part of a community of 450, and 80 year old Takeda-san wants to preserve that community by moving all 450 people to a new site in order rebuild their way of life.
But he too is waiting to hear from the government about whether it can be done. Luckily, he says, he is a patient man.
Temporary homes are being constructed throughout Japan - we seem to pass more every few kilometres.
They're popping up fast - entire communities taking just weeks to construct.
In the town of Minamisanriku, which was devastated by the tsunami, there are several temporary housing units built. There are around 400 people living in each. They took about two months to build after the tsunami, and the people living here, who had to be selected in a ballot to even get one of these units may be here for up to two years.
Fumitaka Kobu was involved in rebuilding Kobe after the 1996 earthquake. He is part of a team planning for the future of the town of Minamisanriku.
Houses will be relocated to the hills, he says, and a massive sloping escape road will be built through the city. The industrial buildings which will remain on the flat, and will have reinforced safety towers.
It's a massive task - half the towns population is already gone.
It will return, along with industry. And this town too will return to an idyllic existence by the sea.
But it's a return that is a long way away.
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